Adjustable seating structure, particularly for automobiles

ABSTRACT

A seating structure which is adjustable and designed particularly for automobiles and the like. The seating structure includes a lower frame fixed to the floor of the vehicle and an upper seating frame situated over and spaced from the lower frame. An intermediate adjustable assembly is situated between the upper frame and the lower frame and is carried by the lower frame while being adjustable to adjust the elevation of the upper seating frame with respect to the lower frame. An adjustable spring assembly is operatively connected with the lower frame to provide for the latter a resilient resistance to a given load so that by adjusting the yieldability of the lower frame with respect to a given load it is possible for an individual to be very comfortably seated. At the same time the elevation of the seat can be adjusted independently of the adjustment for the particular load.

I United States atent l l3,608,855

[72] Inventor Werner Osenberg 2,840,140 6/1958 Harrington 248/400Opladen, Germany 3,075,736 1/1963 Freedman i 248/400 [21] Appl. No.800,585 3,085,778 4/1963 Korn 248/399 (22] Filed Feb.19,1969 3,390,8577/1968 Nystrom 248/399 1 1 Puwnwd p 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS I73 Assi neeBremshey 84 (10. t

l is "mammal" Ger y 1,104,245 4/1961 Germany 248/401 |32l Priority Feb.27, 1968 Primary Examiner-Marion Parsons, .lrv 133] Germany Atr0rneyArthur 0. Klein [31] lll729966.0

ABSTRACT: A seating structure which is adjustable and [54] ADJUSTABLESEATING STRUCTURE designed particularly for automobiles and the like.The seating PARTICULARLY FOR AUTOMOBILES structure includes a lowerframefixed to the floor of the \fChl- 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. cle andan upper seat ng frame situated; over and spaced lr om the lower frame.An intermediate ad ustable assembly is situ- [52] US. Cl 248/400, medbetween the upper frame and the lower frame and i 248/419, 248/421, 2ried by the lower frame while being adjustable to adjust the [51] Int.Cl B60n l/02 devation of the upper Seating frame with respect to thelower [50] Field of Search 248/399, frame, A dj bl Spring assembly isoperatively connected 400,401, 157,419,420,4214224234297546 with thelower frame to provide for the latter a resilient resistance to a ivenload so that b ad'ustin the ieldability of [56] References Cited thelower frar ne with respect to g giden lOZ Id it possible for UNITEDSTATES PATENTS an individual to be very comfortably seated. 1,734,776 11/1929 Pallenberg 248/399 At the same time the elevation of the seat canbe adjusted 2,070,468 2/1937 Chapman 248/422 independently of theadjustment for the particular load,

PATENTEDSEP28|B7| 3.608.855

sum 1 [1F 2 Werner OSENBERG Ay: m c9 m his Aflomey Inventor.-

Pmsminsarealsn $508,855

SHEET 2 0F 2 Inventor;

Werner OSENBERG b madam; his Aflwney ADJUSTABLE SEATING STRUCTURE,PARTICULARLY FOR AUTOMOBILES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The inventionrelates-to seating structures, particularly for automobiles, trucks andthe like.

In particular the present invention relates to that type of seatingstructure which is provided with a yieldable, springy lower frame thespringy resistance of which can be adapted so as to be variableaccording to different loads carried by a particular seat.

For example, with one known construction of this latter type theadjustment of the seating structure, which is carried by a parallelogramlinkage, to a given load is brought about by way of a compression springand shock absorber assembly forming a springy unit the inclination ofwhich can be adjusted by a threaded spindle, so that in this way itbecomes possible to adapt the frame formed by the parallelogram linkageto carry a given load. With this particular arrangement the actuation ofthe spindle changes the location of the point of engage ment of theload-carrying arm, so that in this way it is possible to adapt theparticular spring and damping actions of the assembly to accommodate agiven load carried by the seat. However, upon making this adjustment toaccommodate a given load there occurs unavoidably at the same time avery noticeable and substantial change in the elevation of the seat. Asa result, it is not possible to adjust the elevation of the seatindependently of the adjustment for a given load.

Inasmuch as the proper height of the driver seat, particularly withtrucks, is of great importance and is highly desired in addition to aproper springy yieldability and damping of driver vibrations, it isclear that there is not yet a satisfactory solution to the problem ofachieving an adjustment in elevation independently of an adjustment forload.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of thepresent invention to provide a construction which will avoid the abovedrawbacks by making it possible to adjust the elevation independently ofthe adjustment for load.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide astructure which will solve this problem while at the same time beingrelatively simple while still having a highly effective range ofadjustment for the elevation of the seat.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a constructionwhich will enable a seat to be adjusted in elevation without influencingthe adjustment for the load which is to be carried by the seat.

In accordance with the invention there is a lower frame means and anupper seat frame means situated over and spaced from the lower framemeans. An intermediate means is carried by the lower frame means andsupports the upper frame means for adjustment in elevation with respectto the lower frame means. An adjustable spring means is operativelyconnected with the lower frame means to adjust the latter to yieldablyresist a load of a given magnitude, so that in this way after thislatter adjustment is made the upper seat frame means can be adjusted inelevation with respect to the lower frame means without in any waydisturbing the adjustment of the spring means.

Thus, it is possible to achieve with the invention a seat which isadjustable in elevation while having the elevation adjustment and theload adjustment maintained independent of each other in a fool-proofmanner so that, for example, the adjustment for the load can be made andthereafter the adjustment in elevation of the seat can be made withoutrequiring any further adjustment of the spring means, after theelevational adjustment has been carried out. With the structure of theinvention it is possible to achieve an extremely large range ofadjustment while carrying out the adjustment in a stepless and finelyadjusted manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawings which form part of this applicationand in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a seat structure of the invention which isadjustable in elevation while provided with a springy yieldable lowerframe assembly which can be adapted to different loads to be carried bythe seat;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation, at an enlarged scale as compared toFIG. 1, showing the intermediate means between the upper seat framemeans and lower frame means of the structure of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse elevation also of that part of thestructure where the intermediate frame means is located between theupper and lower frame means, FIG. 3 showing the structure of FIG. 1 asit appears when looking toward the structure from the left of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, FIG.I shows a lower frame means which includes a base frame member I fixedto the floor 2 of the vehicle. This lower frame means includes an uppersupporting plate 3 provided with side plates 4 rigidly fixed to andextending downwardly from the upper plate 3. A pair of elongated links 5and 6 are each pivotally connected to the lower base frame 1 and theside plates 4 so that components 1,4,5, and 6 form the equivalent of aparallelogram linkage. A spring unit supports the links 5 and 6.

This spring unit consists, in a known manner, of a compression spring 8and a supporting leg 7 in the form of a shock absorbet.

The lower end of the shock-absorbing supporting leg 7 is provided with alaterally extending pin 9 guided in the inclined slot 10 of the base 1,and the location of the pin 9 along the slot 10 can be adjusted byturning the handle ltl connected to a screw threaded into a nut carriedby the pin 9 or the lower end of the supporting leg 7 so that by turningthe handle ll the pin 9 will be moved along the slot 10 enabling theassembly 7,8 to be adjusted in accordance with the load to be carried bythe seat.

Situated over and spaced from the lower frame means formed by elements 1and 36 is an upper seat frame means 12. In order to provide for anindependent elevational adjustment of the seat frame means 12 withrespect to the lower frame means, an intermediate means is providedbetween the frame 12 and the lower frame means, this intermediate meansincluding four pairs of shear linkages I313 14,14

This intermediate means includes a lower supporting frame 15 guided onrails carried by the supporting plate 3 of the lower frame means. Theseguide rails for the lower frame 15 of the intermediate means extendforwardly and rearwardly so that the intermediate means together withthe upper seat frame means 12 can be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly.In order to maintain the intermediate frame means and seat frame meansin their position of adjustment, forwardly and rearwardly, a releasabletoothed rack structure 16 is provided to coact with stationary teethcarried by the lower frame means. The toothed releasable lock member 16is supported for turning movement about a horizontal axis, extendingforwardly and rearwardly, in suitable bearings, and a suitably crankedhandle I7 is fixed to the toothed member 16 to swing the latter aboutthis horizontal axis. When this handle 17 is swung in a counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 3, the toothed member I6 will be displacedaway from the stationary tooth'member with which it coacts to hold thestructure in its adjusted position, and with. the toothed member I6 thusdisengaged the entire seat frame and intermediate means can be adjustedeither forwardly or rearwardly. Upon release of the handle 17 a spring18 will act to return the tooth member 16 into engagement with thestationary holding teeth.

The lower carrying frame 15 is composed of a pair of paral leltransversely extending sections 15 in the form of channels which areopen at the top, and these transversely extending parallel members ofthe frame extend across and are connected with longitudinally extendingparallel frame members 15" which also are in the form of channels butwhich are open at the bottom. As is apparent from FIG. 3, thelongitudinally extending channels 15" slidably embrace the rails carriedby the support plate 3 so as to be longitudinally shiftable along theserails when the toothed member 16 is displaced to its unlocking positionas pointed out above.

The longitudinally extending frame members 15" respectively fixedlycarry pivot brackets 19 while the transversely extending frame members15 respectively fixedly carry pivot brackets 20. These brackets 19respectively carry pivot pins 21 while the brackets 20 respectivelycarry pivot pins 22. The four shear linkages, each include a pair oflinks pivoted to each other intennediate their ends so that they canswing one with respect to the other in the manner of a pair ofsuccessive blades. Thus, the shear linkage 13 includes a pair of leversl3 pivoted to each other intermediate their ends, and the same is trueof the remaining three shear linkages 13', 14, and 14'. The seat framemeans 12 has four sides and the four shear linkages are respectivelylocated along these four sides, the linkages 13 and 13' respectivelybeing situated along the lateral sides while the linkages l4 and 14extend along the front and rear sides of the seat frame means 12. Thelinkage 13 has one of its levers pivotally connected to the pivot pin 21carried by one of the brackets 19 while the parallel shear linkage 13'has one of its levers pivotally connected to the pin 21 carried by theother bracket 19. At the front and rear the linkages 14 and 14respectively have one of their levers pivotally connected to the pins 22of the brackets 20 respectively carried by the frame member 15'.

The upper seat frame means 12 fixedly carries pivot brackets which arerespectively in alignment with and situated over the several brackets 19and 20, and all of these brackets of the frame means 12 carry pivot pins23 which are thus fixed with respect to the seat frame means 12. Theother levers of each shear linkage are pivoted to the pins 23,respectively.

in order to maintain the seat frame means 12 at a horizontal attitudewhile it changes its elevation, the ends of all of the levers of theshear linkage means distant from the pivot pins 21,22, and 23, all ofwhich are stationary with respect to the frames to which they are fixedby the pivot bracket referred to above, are pivotally connected withslidable carriages. Thus, FIG. 2 shows the lower right end of a link 13or 13', which is inclined downwardly toward the right, pivotallyconnected to a pin carried by a horizontally shiftable carriage 24, andthe lower right end of the levers 14 and 14 which are directeddownwardly toward the right, as viewed in FIG. 3, are respectivelypivotally connected with pins carried by the horizontally shiftablecarriages 25. The pair of carriages are guided for shifting movementalong the channel-shaped frame members 15' while the shiftable carriages24 are guided for movement along the frame members 15 Thus, thecarriages 24 will shift forwardly and rearwardly while carriages 25 willshift to the right and left with respect to the automobile.

It is to be noted that the longitudinally extending frame members 15"carry guide rails 26 for the carriages 24 while the transverselyextending frame members 15 carry guide rails 27 for the shiftablecarriage 25. In a corresponding manner the seatframe means 1 2 isprovided with shiftable carriages 24' and 25' coacting with the freeends of the other levers of each shear linkage.

Situated directly next to one of the side shear linkages, namely thelinkage 13, is a rotary threaded spindle 28 capable of being turned uponactuation of a laterally extending crank 29 which is available to theoperator.

The above construction operates as follows. The handle 11 is actuated toadjust the yieldable spring means 7, 8 in accordance with the weight ofthe driver. in a manner which is completely independent of theparticular elevation of the supporting plate 2 resulting from adjustmentby way of the handle 11 it is possible to adjust the elevation of theframe 12 which carries the drivers seat, and this independentelevational adjustment of the seat of the driver is brought about byactuation of the crank 29.

Upon turning of this crank, through a suitable transmission 30 which isactuated by the crank, the spindle 28 is turned about its vertical axis.The threads of the spindle 28 extend into the mating threads formed inthe interior of a sleeve 31 which is fixedly carried by the lower frame15 of the intermediate means. Thus, in accordance with the extent towhich the spindle 28 is threaded into or out of the sleeve 31 there willbe a change in the distance between the frame 15 and the seat framemeans 12.

The change in elevation of the seat frame means 12 brought about byturning of the spindle 28 in the sleeve 31 is accompanied by actuationof the shear linkages 13,14, 13' and 14' so that they will become spreadto a greater or lesser extent. inasmuch as the pair of levers of eachshear linkage are respectively swingable about axes which are fixed withrespect to the frame 15 and frame means 12, it is the opposed free endsof the levers connected pivotally to the carriages which are shiftablein the manner described above. Thus, during a change in the elevation ofthe seat frame means 12 with respect to the lower frame means theseveral carriages 24,25, 24', 25 will shift so that the seat frame means12 can have its elevation changed while maintaining its horizontalattitude. Moreover, it will be noted that the adjustment of theelevation of the seat frame means 12 is carried out without in any wayinfluencing the adjustment for the weight of the driver.

Also, by way of actuation of the elongated tooth member 16 it ispossible to adjust the location of the seat frame means 12 andintermediate frame means forwardly and rearwardly so as to be able toregulate, for example, the distance between the seat and the steeringwheel of the vehicle.

It is thus apparent that with the structure of the invention, after thespring means of the lower frame means has been adjusted in accordancewith the load, which is to say the weight of the person who will becarried by the seat, it is possible to carry out an adjustment of theelevation of the seat without in any way influencing the adjustment forthe load. Thus, once the adjustment for the load is made it is possibleto carry out an adjustment of the elevation of the seat withoutrequiring any further adjustment for the load to be made.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference toone preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood thatit is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a preferred embodimentbut is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Seating structure for automobiles and the like, comprising lower baseframe means in the form of a parallelogram linkage, upper seat framemeans situated over and spaced from said lower frame means, verticallyadjustable intermediate means shiftable forwardly and rearwardly andcarried by said lower base frame means and situated between the latterand said upper seat frame means to support the latter for independentelevational movement with respect to said lower base frame means, andadjustable spring means operatively connected only to said lower baseframe means for yieldably supporting the parallelogramlinkage of saidlower base frame means to resist a given load on said upper seat framemeans, said spring means comprising a spring leg shiftable at one end ofa rigid base member of said lower base frame means within the range ofan angle with respect to said parallelogram linkage for a given loadalong a slot formed in said lower base frame means to adjust for aparticular load on said seating structure, whereby after adjustment ofthe spring means the intermediate means can be actuated to adjust theelevation of said seat frame means independently of the adjustment ofsaid spring means and lower frame means.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said intermediate meansincludes a carrying frame carried by said lower frame means, said seatframe means having four sides, and said intermediate means includingfour shear linkages respectively situated at said four sides of saidupper seat frame means and operatively connected to the latter and tosaid carrying frame of said intermediate means, the latter alsoincluding an adjustable spindle extending vertically and operativelyconnected with said seat frame means for adjusting the elevation of thelatter with respect to said carrying frame.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said shear linkage meansincludes a pair of side shear linkage means and front and rear shearlinkage means, and a laterally extending crank situated closely adjacentto one of said side linkage means and operatively connected to saidspindly for turning the latter to regulate the elevation of said upperseat frame means with respect to said lower frame means.

4. The combination of claim 2 and wherein each shear linkage meansincludes a pair of levers crossing each other and pivotally connected toeach other intermediate their ends, each pair of levers of each shearlinkage means including one lever having one end pivotally connectedwith said lower carrying frame for movement about an axis which remainsfixed with respect to said carrying frame and an opposite end pivotallyconnected to a carriage which is shiftable with respect to said upperseat frame means while the other lever of each shear linkage means hasone end pivotally connected to said upper seat frame means for movementabout an axis which does not move relative thereto while the other endof said other lever'is pivotally connected with a carriage which isshiftable along said lower frame.

5. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said carrying frame is guidedfor movement with respect to said lower frame along rail-shaped guides,and releasable holding means for holding said carrying frame at a giveposition with respect to said lower frame means.

1. Seating structure for automobiles and the like, comprising lower baseframe means in the form of a parallelogram linkage, upper seat framemeans situated over and spaced from said lower frame means, verticallyadjustable intermediate means shiftable forwardly and rearwardly andcarried by said lower base frame means and situated between the latterand said upper seat frame means to support the latter for independentelevational movement with respect to said lower base frame means, andadjustable spring means operatively connected only to said lower baseframe means for yieldably supporting the parallelogram linkage of saidlower base frame means to resist a given load on said upper seat framemeans, said spring means comprising a spring leg shiftable at one end ofa rigid base member of said lower base frame means within the range ofan angle with respect to said parallelogram linkage for a given loadalong a slot formed in said lower base frame means to adjust for aparticular load on said seating structure, whereby after adjustment ofthe spring means the intermediate means can be actuated to adjust theelevation of said seat frame means independently of the adjustment ofsaid spring means and lower frame means.
 2. The combination of claim 1and wherein said intermediate means includes a carrying frame carried bysaid lower frame means, said seat frame means having four sides, andsaid intermediate means including four shear linkages respectivelysituated at said four sides of said upper seat frame means andoperatively connected to the latter and to said carrying frame of saidintermediate means, the latter also including an adjustable spindleextending vertically and operatively connected with said seat framemeans for adjusting the elevation of the latter with respect to saidcarrying frame.
 3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said shearlinkage means includes a pair of side shear linkage means and front andrear shear linkage means, and a laterally extending crank situatedclosely adjacent to one of said side linkage means and operativelyconnected to said spindle for turning the latter to regulate theelevation of said upper seat frame means with respect to said lowerframe means.
 4. The combination of claim 2 and wherein each shearlinkage means includes a pair of levers crossing each other andpivotally connected to each other intermediate their ends, each pair oflevers of each shear linkage means including one lever having one endpivotally connected with said lower carrying frame for movement about anaxis which remains fixed with respect to said carrying frame and anopposite end pivotally connected to a carriage which is shiftable withrespect to said upper seat frame means while the other lever of eachshear linkage means has one end pivotally connected to said upper seatframe means for movement about an axis which does not move relativethereto while the other end of said other lever is pivotally connectedwith a carriage which is shiftable along said lower frame.
 5. Thecombination of claim 2 and wherein said carrying frame is guided formovement with respect to said lower frame along rail-shaped guides, andreleasable holding means for holding said carrying frame at a givenposition with respect to said lower frame means.